adventures of a belly dancing acupuncturist

This started as a travelogue to Turkey in the fall '05 so that I wouldn't have to send multiple emails and postcards. I'm still adding anecdotes as I remember them, but it's morphing into a "rant to the ether" spot. Stay, or go. This is my bit of space to do with what I wish.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

The No Credential Required Event Night

drew a fair number of people with tags of various sorts dangling from their necks for the speeches, but they all split when it went into party time. What I find a bit confusing is why so many events and parties actually overlapped major speeches - if you want to get the kids involved by having them get to see their favorite indie bands for free in an RSVP event, why are you doing it right when all of the major speeches start. These kids really should have been watching Clinton, Kerry and Biden. Then again, that is my snarky nearly 40 year old opinion.

In health systems and management we had an overview of the health care system (and non system) that we will be studying in depth thru the term with a bit of debate on how we would like to fix/change things, an interesting lead in to the Healthcare United rally. More appreciative people, which is why we do it. Good music and talk wafting up from the stage too.

But all of it is hard to enjoy with lingering crud. I had all of these ideas of having fun and party hopping, and maybe if I hadn't been feeling so crappy this whole week I would've had the energy to turn on and float into great parties and such. Now all I want is for it to be Saturday afternoon so I can lock up after my last client and go home and sleep and get caught up with my online Epidemiology lectures (nearly 4 hours worth) and drink tea on the patio.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Help! My city has been hijacked!

Which is how I felt last night when I read thru a section of the Denver Post last night waiting for friends to come and meet up. As I said yesterday, I am fine with conventioneers and crowds. It are those from elsewhere who making exclusivity for others not from here who I would like to send back to where they came from.

Most of what I saw were the comings and goings from Lola's, union party during the day and the prep for the DNC finance committee at night as I was giving free acupuncture in the red and blue pointy domed tent across the street from it. The Sustainability Road Show wasn't swamped, but I was with the various road crew and local exhibitors taking turns receiving treatment and they worked me hard.

The crowds around the MSNBC tower are quite amusing, especially the 19 year old guy who got all excited as soon as he heard Keith's voice coming out of the speakers and the cottage industry of peddlers that has sprung up to feed off of it.

Only one party, too wrecked for even trying for more, but at least it was mellow and interesting. Reports coming to us at the DFA event made me glad that I turned around and didn't head to the event at the Martini Ranch, didn't need loud, bad hip hop to ruin what bit of voice I still had trying to yell over. Instead I heard from US Congress and Senate candidates who I could have babysitted for as a teenager given their ages. As I am almost 40 this is something I am going to have to start getting used to, candidates who seem like kids.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Denver residents S.O.L.

Plenty of goings on around town, and lots to see.

Like the much reduced traffic on East Colfax near where I live cause everyone is afraid to drive near downtown, or the operation rescue fundies and their whores for their own worst interests and their graffic imagery drawing police to break up their protest of some ticketed lectures on women's issues (directly across from the church where the Progressive Dems of America are hanging). And let's not forget the unwashed masses itching for confrontation. Now I know some of them, a couple of sorta friends, clients in the group, and while some just want to be heard, others were planning for some head on action when I left them around 5:30 yesterday evening. I am also of the agreement that the DPD is trigger happy given their actions in my nearly 10 years here.

Also found myself in front of the 16th street mall restaurant having the McCain party (memo to self - never eat at Earl's, the restaurant hosting it). Lots of sad looking bleach blondes with heavy makeup and perhaps some surgical enhancements in tight short black dresses leaning against the second floor railing, lots of healthy (save for the one fat ass who with the diminishing standards would still likely be able to enlist, he can get in shape during boot camp) looking guys, none of whom are in the armed services and my first (and likely last) 'another democrat for mccain' bumper sticker.

After watching the coverage at the Well's Fargo Theater (nice place, bad corporate name) thanks to a nice college gal from L.A., I met up with some friends at teh Big Tent for some comedy, a not so sober Daryl Hannah and party hopping. Lots of parties that are pretty damn tight at the door, the only one we got into (which was nice) was hosted by the Maryland Dems and we did get to gush all over the wonderful force that is Donna Edwards, soon to be congresswoman.

So, still no voice, kinda sick and pissed off at the celebs overwhelming this town keeping my friend from walking on the sidewalk in front of our favorite bar, Mezcal, which is 2 blocks from her house! I'll gladly keep most of the politicians, celebs like Jeffrey Wright who I didn't chase down to tell him how much I loved him in Angels on B'way some 17 years ago if we can boot most of the the others who have truly nothing to add to the discussion.

And The Daily Show. Haven't seen them around nor do I have tix, but they can stay. And they can stay past the convention too, we'll gladly keep them.

Off to stick people with needles at Hirschorn Park for a few hours (come down, free treatments from lots of people from 10-7), and tonight the Kuciniches are keeping it real at The Skylark tonight (where Denver DL has it's 3 year anniversary tomorrow).

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Game on!

And I am sick. Yet again.

With all of the stress and chaos setting up my free roving acupuncture gigs (which I've cut back on), my clinic open house (which is ALL mine now, just me) and some snafus with school registration my system just couldn't hold it together, just when what I've been looking forward to since it was announced has arrived, the DNC.

In a week and a half I went from being offered the opportunity to setting up a healer's tent at the Green Frontier Fest on no money, a broken borrowed tent and a bunch of loaner chairs with the few good healers I could track down who were not already set at the Yoga Fest or paid gigs. But it was worth it as it looks like each of us are likely gaining a few new clients and left many satisfied Denverites and volunteers and delegates from around the country. I split for a couple of hours to hang at the Garden Blogger's house, didn't meet more than one out of state blogger, but I love my square staters and they are more than good enough.

Then, with little to no voice left, it was tour guide time to some Cali bloggers, showing them the best of Denver on a Sunday night - tho the wind was a bit too strong on a sore throat to stay out for the fire spinning for long. But the last minute decision to stop at the Merc on the way home was fate as Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich were there for dinner and Elizabeth remembered the attempt we made at finding time for me to give her a treatment. Hopefully we'll find time during the chaos of convention. But Dennis also loves the community acupuncture sliding scale business model and thanked me for my service! My giddy 2 seconds.

Now I am very sore of throat, hoping to wake up tomorrow with something resembling my voice back.